Bed-pan.



v (No Model.)

No. 669,756.- Patented Mar. I2, 190:.

M. mcAnAM.

BED PAN.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1900.)

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARY MACADAM, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

BED-PAN.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 669,756, dated March 12, 1901. Application filed September 29, 1900. Serial No. 31,481. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARY MAOADAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lyn n, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bed-Pans, of which the following is a specification.

It is well known to those who have the care of persons who are confined. to their beds by dysentery and kindred diseases which require the frequent use of a bed-pan that very serious and painful sores are caused on the lower part of the back of the patient by contact with the bed-pan, and it has been found almost impossible to prevent the formation of these sores when the ordinary form of bedpan is used.

One object of, my invention is to produce an improved form of bed-pan which may be used in such a manner that it may be perfectly comfortable to the patient and which will not cause sores and which is easyto empty and to clean.

A further object is to provide a bed-pan which will not easily tip or slide from under the patient while in use.

According to my invention I provide a form of bed-pan the rear wall of which is so shaped that it may be placed close to a suitable pillow or cushion on which the greater portion of the weight of the patient is supported, the rear wall extending well under the patient without coming in contact with his body to any material extent.

These and other features of my invention will be more fully explained in the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a central longitudinal cross-section on the line as m of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan view with the cover removed. Fig. 1 is a cross-section on the line y y of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the rear wall of the bed-pan, which rises in a gradual curve from the flat bottom 2. The curve of the inner surface of the wall changes from concave to convex, so that the upper edge thereof is rolled or turned outwardly, a comparatively broad and nearly level surface being formed at the upper edge of the wall. (See Fig. 1.) The side walls 3 and 4 are similarly formed (see Fig. 4) and are merged into the front wall 5, which is concave on its inner side throughout its entire height and extends upwardly and rearwardly, as shown in Fig. l. The extent to which wall 5 extends upwardly and rearwardly is sufficient to prevent all danger of spattering when the pan is used.

A rib 6 extends downwardly from the under side of the rear wall 1 to the level of the under side of the bottom 2, and preferably slightly below the latter, as shown in Fig. 1, said rib being located about midway between the rear end of the bottom 2 and the rear edge of the wall 1. The rib 6 is curved to correspond with the contour of the bed-pan and extends to the middle portion of the bottom, where it. terminates. (See Fig. 2.) The rib 6 aids materially in holding the bed-pan in place when in use, as the rib presses down into the mattress, so thatthe latter will bulge up on each side of the rib (see dotted lines in Fig. 1) and hold the same securely against slipping.

A cover 7 is preferably provided for the bed-pan, which will close the same tightly and prevent the escape of disagreeable odors and disease germs after the bed-pan has been used. As additional security against the escape of odors the cover may be provided with a rubber gasket 7'. A handle 8 is formed on the front wall 5.

The general form of the bed-pan is elliptical, or it may be made in an egg-shaped form with almost equal advantage. The seat or opening is made no larger than is absolutely necessary, and the whole pan is made as compactly as possible.

In using the bed-pan an ordinary air-pillow 9, which is indicated in cross-section in Fig.

1, is placed as close as possible to the rear wall of the bed-pan, so that the wall may overlap the pillow to a certain extent when the patient is resting on the latter. The size of the pillow should be sufficient to support the body of the patient in such a manner that but little of his weight will be supported by the bed-pan, and as but a comparatively small portion of the patients body may touch the pan at all all liability of the formation of sores on the patient is avoided. When the pan is emptied, the contents will be poured over the rear wall 1, the lowest portion of the wall 1 being at the middle, so that the con-' tents of the bed-pan may be easily directed as it is poured out. The pan may be convenien tly held by the handle 8 when it is emptied.

As the curve of the front wall 5 is gradual and there is considerable space between the overhanging portion thereof and the bottom and as all the other sides flare outwardly, the bed-pan is very easy to clean. By omitting the usual spout and drain-holes all clogging of these passages is avoided, and when the cover is in place there is no chance for ob jectionable odors to escape through such passages.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that I have produced a bedpan which in every way obviates the defects before referred to which exist in prior devices of similar character.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A bed-pan having a bottom portion, a rear wall which extends upwardly therefrom,

n is convexly curved at its upper edge, and projects rearwardly for a distance from the bottom of the pan, so that it may overhang an independent support or cushion which may be placed adjacent thereto, side walls which extend laterally from the bottom and are correspondingly curved and formed continuous with said rear wall, said side and rear walls forming a seat which is gradually curved upwardly from the middle of said rear Wall and is free from abrupt curves, and a front wall which extends upwardly and rearwardly, the surfaces of the side walls being continuous with that of the front wall, and the edges thereof continuing upwardly and merging with the edge of the front wall in a gradual upwardly-extending curve so that the front wall may extend upwardly between the legs of the patient without causing discomfort, and substantially the whole opening be closed by the body of the patient.

2. A bed-pan which is of oval or elliptical form, a bottom portion, a rear wall which extends upwardly and rearwardly therefrom and is convexly curvedatits upperedge, said wall being adapted to overhang an independent cushion or support, side walls which extend laterally from the bottom and are correspondingly curved and formed continuous with said rear wall, said side and rear walls forming a semi-elliptical seat which is free from abrupt curves and is rounded so as to form a comfortable support for the portion of the body which must come in contact therewith, a front wall which extends upwardly and rearwardly, the surfaces of the side walls being continuous with that of the front wall and the edges thereof merging with the edge of the front wall in a gradual upwardly-extending curve,'so that the front wall may extend upwardly between the legs of the patient without causing discomfort.

3. A bed-pan having a bottom portion, a rear wall which extends upwardly and rearwardly from the rear end of said bottom, and a rib which is connected to the under side of said rear wall between its rearedge and the rear end of the bottom and extends downwardly to the level of the bottom.

4. A bed-pan having a bottom portion, a rear Wall which extends upwardly therefrom, convexly curved at its upper portion and projects rearwardly fora distance from the bottom of the pan so that it may overhang an independent support or cushion which may be placed adjacent thereto, laterally-extendingside walls which are formed continuous with said rear wall and form therewith a broad semi-elliptical-shaped seat, and a front wall which extends upwardly and rearwardl y, the surfaces of the side walls being continuous with that of the front wall.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARY MACADAM. Witnesses:

LoUIs H. HARRIMAN, GEO. E. UOKER. 

